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readwithgabrielle 's review for:
Ziggy, Stardust and Me
by James Brandon
Boy meets boy in St. Louis, 1973.
Except they’re both gay. One is Native American & the other, white.
The best YA’s are the ones that let us learn while feeling the character’s feelings. This one taught me about love when it was forbidden, and aversion therapy. Horrible stuff that still kinda survives as conversion therapy now.
Jonathan had an awakening when he saw Ziggy Stardust; he was his Jesus, his Messiah. Covered in glitter, he felt capable of reaching for the stars. Except he had to complete his treatments to “be fixed.” This, because he had been kissed by his now-bully, Scott and blamed of the worst crime of all: feeling love & attraction for another man.
It all changes when he meets Web, a Native American running from his past; his dad was killed in front of him by a cop and he later attacked this cop so he ran from his rez; his home. Their encounter as 17-year-olds changes both of their lives.
Reading this book, as written by a man, was a breath of fresh air. He captured Jonathan’s erratic behavior and over-enthusiastic imagination, especially as someone undergoing a form of electroshock therapy, and the social commentary around Native Americans and Wounded Knee was well done as well. Granted, he focused on the Gay aspect of the two main characters, as this was the prime theme.
Having said all that, I share a love of Ziggy with Jonathan, and here are some quotes I loved:
Except they’re both gay. One is Native American & the other, white.
The best YA’s are the ones that let us learn while feeling the character’s feelings. This one taught me about love when it was forbidden, and aversion therapy. Horrible stuff that still kinda survives as conversion therapy now.
Jonathan had an awakening when he saw Ziggy Stardust; he was his Jesus, his Messiah. Covered in glitter, he felt capable of reaching for the stars. Except he had to complete his treatments to “be fixed.” This, because he had been kissed by his now-bully, Scott and blamed of the worst crime of all: feeling love & attraction for another man.
It all changes when he meets Web, a Native American running from his past; his dad was killed in front of him by a cop and he later attacked this cop so he ran from his rez; his home. Their encounter as 17-year-olds changes both of their lives.
Reading this book, as written by a man, was a breath of fresh air. He captured Jonathan’s erratic behavior and over-enthusiastic imagination, especially as someone undergoing a form of electroshock therapy, and the social commentary around Native Americans and Wounded Knee was well done as well. Granted, he focused on the Gay aspect of the two main characters, as this was the prime theme.
Having said all that, I share a love of Ziggy with Jonathan, and here are some quotes I loved:
✨”The things that scare you the most are the things that bring you closer to who you’re meant to be.”✨
✨”…we’re all made of star stuff. Everything is made of it. When stars die they fall into our atmosphere and turn into these chemical compounds that become things. Sometimes they become people.” ✨
✨”something’s happening. My heart starts fluttering; my stomach starts tingling. Before I can figure out why, he leans in, and kisses me. Oh.” ✨
✨”Our lips collide. Like two crashing meteors who’ve been waiting our whole lives for the impact. And he smells so sweet, like bou sweat and soapy springs.”✨
✨”We’ve been running our country whole lives, Jonathan (…) At some point you have to stop and say, ‘Enough. This is me.’ And fight for it as hard as you can.”✨
✨”We sway and disappear in each other’s arms, and ‘So Far Away’ starts crooning through the speakers, and for one moment in time, two lonely astronauts floating in space finally find each other.”✨
✨”But one thing I know: I’m not crazy for feeling this way. They’re crazy for trying to stop me. And if it’s the last time I ever get to feel joy again, I won’t let them have it.”✨